Encores. Why

10 June 2010, 20:09

butchloc

before the encore came the contender. it was the first multicaliber pistol capable of handling rifle rounds. only problem was that the sillouetters shot them so much that the frame loosened up. hence the encore, which was made heavier. the following from the contender came along with the change. there has always been a fascination with multicaliber guns, and the encore does this well. in my particular case i bought one because its about the handiest truck gun out there. i recently restocked it with a thumbhole from luxus, which makes it a totally different piece. accuracy from them has always been pretty good.

10 June 2010, 21:01

Michael Robinson

I'm with you, aliveincc. They have never appealed to me in the least.

10 June 2010, 21:02

D99

I think the guns popularity stems from 3 things.

1. Excellent advertisement and TV show support campaign. They have spent a lot of money on putting an Encore rifle in the hands of Realtree folks, Mossy Oak folks, and the Tiffany Lakoskys of the world. Hell even Larry Weishun shoots one.

2. They serve the purpose they were designed for and are very utilitarian, if your not a "far-gone-rifle-crank" they are a very tough utilitarian piece of equipment. So that's why the bubba's of the world love them.

3. They allow you to hunt muzzleloader, rifle, pistol, shotgun, all in one unit. While this gets to be a expensive feat, it is possible to just own one encore frame and 5-10 barrels. Other than the pistol you would only need one scope and mount set if you were really cheap.

To me they are ugly, and while I admire their versatility, I have zero use for one. I have fell into their trap before, but they are so damn ugly it is hard for me to want to keep one.

I talked to one of the TC Vice Presidents a few years about about bringing a real gun back. The Encore is not a riflemans rifle, it's a bubba gun. He told me that they wanted to build a over and under shotgun first, but eventually if they continue to have growth they will bring out a rifle similar to the TCR 83/87 rifles. He promised lines like a Blaser K95, but even the new TC bolt rifles are butt-ugly so I think "wait and see?". And the TCR 83/87 rifles were nothing like a modern Blaser, Krieghoff or Merkel single shot.

Sabatti single shot

Baikal single shot

Kreighoff Hubertus single shot

Blaser K95 Single shot

Merkel K1/K4 single shot

And then the ugly Encores

[IMG]

10 June 2010, 21:47

ACRecurve

I've played with Encores a bit because of their versatility, but they've never stayed in the safe for too long. They don't float my boat, but to each their own. Some very nice animals have been taken with them.

10 June 2010, 23:58

OLBIKER

Just calls me Bubba cause I love my Encore 223 for head shooting Prairie rats.Even have one with Luxus Wood and a Custom shop 6.5X55 barrel.Sent out the frame to get color case hardened .these guns are so easy to set up to shoot good its ridiculous .

11 June 2010, 00:48

Mike Scott

Some people like them and some don't, just like all the other guns out there.

11 June 2010, 03:24

fourbore

Can we get some protection in place to prevent guys like D99 from spamming threads with hugh photos the blow the tread right off the monitor not to mention total waste of bandwidth.

12 June 2010, 01:22

D99

Fourbore,

Hugh? Do you mean huge? Maybe you meant "hug"?

It's fixed.

12 June 2010, 02:14

HEAD0001

Bubba Gun?? Man does that sound arrogant. You are entitled to your opinion if you do not like them. But to insult the people who do?? Yep, that sounds arrogant to me. Tom.

12 June 2010, 02:18

Ohiosam

Living in a state where we can't use breech loading rifles for deer the Encore is very useful. I use it mostly as a muzzleloader then switch it to be my turkey gun with a 20" 12 gauge barrel.

12 June 2010, 03:26

OLBIKER

quote:
Originally posted by HEAD0001:
Bubba Gun?? Man does that sound arrogant. You are entitled to your opinion if you do not like them. But to insult the people who do?? Yep, that sounds arrogant to me. Tom.

Guess I am too old and dumb to get insulted.I don`t take anything to heart said on the internet.Life is too short to sweat the small change.Cheers,OB

13 June 2010, 07:13

Low Wall

Certainly not as pretty as a K95 but better looking than a encore by a mile, at least to my eye..
Less money than a encore also..
I might be inclined to "bubba" up to one of these CVA Apex's myself..

http://www.cva.com/rifles-apex.php

Click "COMPARE" upper right..

13 June 2010, 17:46

Grumulkin

quote:
Originally posted by D99:
I talked to one of the TC Vice Presidents a few years about about bringing a real gun back. The Encore is not a riflemans rifle, it's a bubba gun. He told me that they wanted to build a over and under shotgun first, but eventually if they continue to have growth they will bring out a rifle similar to the TCR 83/87 rifles. He promised lines like a Blaser K95, but even the new TC bolt rifles are butt-ugly so I think "wait and see?". And the TCR 83/87 rifles were nothing like a modern Blaser, Krieghoff or Merkel single shot.

Way back, years ago, I was looking through a T/C catalog, saw the TCR rifle and was going to buy one. It turned out, when I called, that they didn't make them any longer; it may have had something to do with the fire in the T/C factory around that time. In any case, rather than turn out another bolt action rifle (the Icon) which is no better and probably worse than those made by other manufacturers, they should have brought back the TCR rifle.

Since the TCR rifle wasn't available, I bought a Contender and then an Encore and have been quite happy with them. That said, if T/C turned out another TCR-like rifle, I'd probably buy one.

14 June 2010, 17:49

ted fries

to answer the original question...same reasson i like the other gun types that grace my rack. if i have to explain...ya prolly wont understand. kinda like tryin to explain why ride a harley instead of another kind o motorcycle...if ya gotta ask...prolly wont understand anyway.

14 June 2010, 18:37

shortgun

Hi Mah name be BUBBA. I gots a mess o dem thangs. Dey works purty good fer me. Ah done kilt me a mess o stuff wif 'em, Purty is in the eye of the looker.

15 June 2010, 04:38

fourbore

quote:
Hugh? Do you mean huge? Maybe you meant "hug"? dancing

Ah,... much better, makes me want to go out and buy a single shot

thanks

15 June 2010, 05:59

dwheels

I like the Kreighoff lines but not the price. I liked the TCR also but I let mine go when I couldn't get parts. I would love to see another single shot that is a sleek as the TCR. That being said I have two Contender frames, and I am down to two barrels. They are truely a great truck gun. You take a Contender with a 20 inch 30-30 barrel, or .223 barrel There isn't anything safe from an off the mirror shot. DW

25 June 2010, 20:58

prof242

Guess I'm a Bubba too. Have given one with both a .22lr and a .30/30 or 7-30 barrel to each grandchild as they get older. I've got two frames (old and G-2) and a handful of barrels. I had one of the TCRs and seriously regret selling it. If they brought back the TCRs, I'd order one or two in a heartbeat.

30 June 2010, 03:53

Moorepower

I am not an Encore fan, but alot of guys don't like my accurate Savage rifles either, go figure! By what you like and don't bitch about what someone else likes. Guns are kind of like women. There is one out there for every one. God knows I would love to have a K 95, but it is not likely that I will ever fork out the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for the one I want.

30 June 2010, 05:43

Bobby Tomek

D99 wrote:

quote:
The Encore is not a riflemans rifle, it's a bubba gun.

Aside from the multiple English-usage errors, that sentence shows an utter lack of intelligence regarding the Contender and Encore platforms and a distinct disrespect for fellow shooters and hunters.

30 June 2010, 07:33

Kabluewy

I like my Encores, although I haven't used them in a while. I plan to shoot them a lot more. I have two frames/stocks, and three barrels - 7x65R, 7.62x53R, and 9.3x74R. I can't decide which one I like best.

I think a turkey barrel would be a nice addition - 12 guage 3".

KB

01 July 2010, 02:06

Moorepower

I tried to warn you, you don't insult a guys rifle or his woman, or should I say the woman that lets him think that she is HIS woman! Unless you are Saaed, someone will always have a nicer looking rifle than you do.

01 July 2010, 02:34

willl

It comes in 416 rigby. I`ve only had mine a little while and I love it I also have a 300 win mag barrel

01 July 2010, 03:38

Brain1

One word for you "VERSATILITY". If you can only have one receiver you can have several barrels for it. Thats why it's pretty, because it works. It also is very affordable and did I forget to mention a lifetime warranty?

01 July 2010, 04:01

fireball168

quote:
Originally posted by Kabluewy:
I have two frames/stocks, and three barrels - 7x65R, 7.62x53R, and 9.3x74R.

Just bought a Krieger .311 barrel from the Classifieds - its going to MGM when my 7.62x54R PTG reamer show up.

Who made yours?

05 July 2010, 08:23

Bobby Tomek

No, it may not be a thing of beauty in the eyes of some, but when put atop a hog that was taken and killed instantly from 280 yards, I think the TC Contender with a 24" 30-30 AI barrel looks pretty good atop the downed quarry.

This one was taken today.

05 July 2010, 19:46

OLBIKER

quote:
Originally posted by Bobby Tomek:
No, it may not be a thing of beauty in the eyes of some, but when put atop a hog that was taken and killed instantly from 280 yards, I think the TC Contender with a 24" 30-30 AI barrel looks pretty good atop the downed quarry.

This one was taken today.

Good shooting Bobby!!!!!

05 July 2010, 22:00

OldFart

As a "bubba" gun tinkerer, there great. You can spend the time and money to get the frame how you like it, and then experment with the different calibers, barrel lengths, twists etc. to you hearts content, all at respectable prices. I work out of state, so with a frame at each address, I can carry the barrels back and forth as needed with out the worry about violating some gun law.
That said, I will likely never buy another one. I hate what has happened to the company since S&W bought them. With all of the advertising, fancy names, and the likes, the prices have risen so they are no longer worth it, and the quality seems to have gotten worse. They can keep them.

06 July 2010, 07:31

Idaho Sharpshooter

Shortgun,

beauty is not always in the eye of the beholder. Somebody married Roseann Barr. The big fat guy used french kiss her on her TV show and squeeze her sweet cheeks. You tell me...?

Rich

No contest between the encore and TCR-83.

15 July 2010, 06:50

PRW

For those who don't like the Encore, what about the Rossi and H&R? Even worse?

15 July 2010, 16:53

Grumulkin

quote:
Originally posted by OldFart:
That said, I will likely never buy another one. I hate what has happened to the company since S&W bought them. With all of the advertising, fancy names, and the likes, the prices have risen so they are no longer worth it, and the quality seems to have gotten worse. They can keep them.

I may not buy another one either because I have enough. Prices have risen but if you shop right, you can still put one together pretty economically. And the quality? I bought a Pro Hunter frame several months ago and it had the best trigger of any I've gotten right out of the box before so it's not getting a trigger job.

17 July 2010, 04:38

Idaho Sharpshooter

They display good hunting accuracy, there are a million, or so it seems, chamberings, and you don't cry if you drop it off a cliff or lose it, like you would with a spendy single shot rifle.

Rich
DRSS

05 August 2010, 14:30

Redbone311

I'm new (on here only) but I can see an arrogant fool when I see one. Guess who's the first going on my "ignore" list? And I don't even own an Encore. Multiple Contenders, but no Encore.

11 August 2010, 08:01

SR4759

Not much of an Encore fan though I must say that they look no worse than a German scope the size of a 3 liter soda bottle on a skinny lightweight rifle.

11 August 2010, 12:01

Idaho Sharpshooter

Oh man, looks like I lost another one. They all say that, but three days later they post something tacky about a post I made. It's that love/hate relationship with the youngsters that makes my work here worthwhile...

Rich
DRSS

11 August 2010, 22:03

AFreeman

To each their own. Some guys love them, some use them because they are adaptable and easily converted from one gun to the other.
They are a chameleon.

The reason we (Luxus) turned stocks for them is because we have a large inventory of blanks that are not suitable for other stock designs. The TC is flexible in that the stocks are very short and so the blanks that will not work for many other stocks work well enough for TC's.

15 August 2010, 00:55

homebrewer

I find my 223Rem to be quite accurate. I have only done it once, but I shot a three-shot group of .076 inches from a hundred yards a while back. It was rested up front on my homemade adjustable sandbag and a 13B out back. Scope was a 4-16X BSA. Stock trigger. Ammo was some recipe I grabbed out of the air-- just made it up. I have no idea what powder I used or how much. Cases were nickle-plated R-P and pills were common, 55-grain FMJs. Mine is a good gun for poppin' the heads off jackrabbits and squippels out to 200-and-some yards if I have a good rest.

I hated the ugly synthetic stock they come with, so I procured an unfinished American Black Walnut stock set, sanded it out nicely and had it finished up by a gunsmith. This is what she looks like...

Yes, the stock is lefthanded. The forestock is a wide beavertail, fourteen inches long. Sits nicely in the bag. The barrel is the 26-inch, heavy profile with a Shrewd muzzle brake contoured in. Looks very nice. Shoots nice, too.